A conventional dry sump type internal combustion engine control apparatus is disclosed, for instance, by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-337119. This control apparatus includes an electric feed pump for supplying oil from an oil tank, which is positioned outside a crank chamber, into the crank chamber. This control apparatus also includes an electric scavenge pump for causing an oil tank to collect the oil that is supplied from the electric feed pump to various sections of the internal combustion engine and dripped into an oil pan, which is provided at the bottom of the crank chamber. Further, the above conventional control apparatus controls the rotation speed of the electric scavenge pump in accordance with the oil level of the oil pan or oil tank. The above conventional control apparatus makes it possible to properly maintain the oil levels of the oil pan and oil tank while minimizing the drive energy for the electric scavenge pump.
Including the above-mentioned document, the applicant is aware of the following documents as a related art of the present invention.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-337119
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 06-042325
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 05-005409
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei-06-10110
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-020715
[Patent Document 6] Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. Hei 03-17213